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Happy New Year to all my Jewish friends! Last night, I joined in the festivities and ate my very first Rosh Hashanah dinner. And. I. loved. it.
Granted, I’m pretty sure it was not the most religious dinner that was taking place among the Jewish community last night, but it was a celebration nonetheless, and a very good reason for Mark & Brett to have a dinner party. There was homemade cider, sinfully good cheese, crayons on the table for doodling, and plenty of wine.
All of the food was beyond yummy and the hosts were amazing. Thank you, Mark & Brett, for a fabulous Rosh Hashana. Here’s to a new year and great friends!

I’m exhausted. I worked all weekend and will be back at it before I know it. Not much of an exciting post today, but I hadn’t posted in a few days and I felt bad for neglecting my blog. I’m dedicating this post to the things that will get me through the week:

my drug of choice.

red red wine, you make me feel so fine.

"L'eggo my eggo!" Typical breakfast on the go.

Fall TV returns this week. "Two and a Half Men," "Modern Family," "Grey's Anatomy"... most of my favorites are back (I'm still mourning the cancellation of "Brothers & Sisters" and "The Chicago Code," but I'll live). I'm looking forward to a new season of laughter & drama!

I've still got this little munchkin keeping me company at home for the next three days 🙂

Knowing that I have these shoes waiting for me at home also will somehow make my days a little bit easier to get through 🙂 They retailed for $245, and I found them in black over the weekend at the Rack for only $35. Yep, that's 85% off. I was left with no choice... it's simply impossible for me to pass on such an incredible LAMB sale.

Happy Labor Day weekend, my friends! I don’t know about you, but I will be taking full advantage of my three-day weekend. I have not had a day off in more than a month, and I am looking forward to enjoying every single relaxing minute of my time off. It will be a very happy Labor Day, indeed. Have a great weekend everyone, and don’t forget to relax!!!

Although there are a bunch of great songs on the radio right now that I’m completely in love with (moves like jagger, edge of glory, if i die young, party rock anthem, just to name a few), I’ve pretty much been listening to this song non-stop ever since I heard it a few days ago:

After living in Colorado for the past year, a good friend of mine finally moved back to Chicago today (yay!). Although there are times when I wonder what it would be like to live in NYC, California, or even Europe, I sit back and realize how awesome it is right here in Chicago. At the end of the day, this is my city too, Patrick Stump, and I absolutely love it. I mean…how could you not?

Between it’s great architecture, awesome sports teams, delicious food, incredible shopping, accessible public transportation, and stunning lake views, Chicago really knows what’s up. I honestly can that I love it all; yes, even the crazy weather!

A few weeks ago, I discovered a sweet little spot in Evanston. It’s called Merrick Park, and it has the most beautiful rose garden I’ve ever seen in my life. For some reason, I felt like I was in England… I think maybe the landscaping made me feel regal..?
Anyway, in 1974 it was awarded the Public Rose Garden Award by the All-America Rose Selections for “contributing to the public interest in rose growing through its efforts to maintaining an outstanding public rose garden.” Pretty neat, huh? I thought so. What I would like to know is… how was I born a mere 5 minutes away at Evanston Hospital in 1986, lived in Wilmette my entire life, and I am just NOW learning of this gorgeous place?! My friend Chase and I discovered it after work one night and this pretty much sums up how we both felt about our discovery:

Today I went back for round two to visit during the day. In my opinion, these pictures really don’t really do the park justice, but you’ll get the idea. Take a look and tell me you couldn’t spend all day here! Just give me a blanket and a magazine and I’m all set. Now I just need a day off….

Because I am truly overjoyed at the thought of sleeping in tomorrow, I am dedicating this post to sleep and the magical place where it all happens: the bedroom.
Personally, my bed is pretty freakin’ comfortable; I’ve always been a sucker for high thread coat, fancy down comforters, and pretty duvet covers. Although I do have to admit, I would kill to sleep in any one of these beds, at least for a night. Which one is your favorite?

Did you know elephants are symbols of strength? I didn’t either, until a good friend of mine gave me the cutest little elephant ornament at a time when I really needed a little pick-me-up. He came with this inspiring note about what elephants represent:

“Elephants have long been symbols of strength, fidelity, wisdom, protection, and prosperity. In many cultures, they are considered sacred animals. When shown with their trunks up, elephants are believed to bring good luck, and even to be the granters of wishes.”

Elephants, for one reason or another, have always held a special place in my heart since I was a little girl; now I know why, and they hold even more meaning than before. I’ve put together a mini collage of some special and adorable elephant pictures…. enjoy & stay strong. xo

Jenny B.

Welcome to my blog! Have a look around and enjoy reading about my life adventures in Chicago. You'll find personal posts, pictures of my favorite things, and some words I like to live by. Read, enjoy, leave comments, and e-mail if you'd like!